By Aditya Pal, 20th June 2025
My journey to find the Bengal florican has been more than just a personal quest, it is a conservationist’s dream realized. As conservationists we often play multiple roles: researcher, field biologist, educator and advocate. Our work requires a balance of scientific rigor, community engagement and resilience. It is a relentless pursuit, but each challenge only strengthens our commitment to protecting nature.
Bengal florican surveys in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. Photo: Anand Jha.
Obtaining funding from the Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) in 2022 was a turning point in my career. Their support provided me with a platform to design and implement my first independent conservation project. Through specialized training in conservation management, fundraising and scientific communication, I gained the tools to navigate the complex landscape of bird conservation. The experience enhanced every facet of my career, equipping me to lead impactful conservation initiatives.
I vividly remember my first sighting of a Bengal florican—it was in 2018 while conducting fieldwork for my master’s thesis in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal. A striking male moving through the grasslands left an indelible mark on my conservation journey. However, during our initial CLP-supported survey where we extensively scoured potential habitats for the species, our team failed to spot a single bird. The absence of sightings raised concerns that there were few of the elusive species remaining in the Koshi region, especially outside of the breeding season.
Bengal florican male (left) and female (right). Photos: Aditya Pal.
As the breeding season approached, our hopes and anticipation grew. We collaborated with local conservation organizations and intensified our search across the Reserve and adjacent areas. To our delight, our persistence was rewarded and we recorded 20 individuals, including 14 males and six females. The fieldwork was exhilarating and varied, involved traveling in four-wheeled vehicles and wooden boats, as well as on foot under the scorching sun, navigating protected and unprotected grasslands. Traversing the Koshi River floodplains in extreme heat was physically demanding, but every sighting reignited our determination, despite some unexpected encounters along the way—at one point we became surrounded by a herd of wild water buffalo, a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of conservation work.
Crossing Kosi river during survey on a wooden boat. Photo: Aditya Pal.
One of the most fascinating aspects of our survey was witnessing this incredible bird’s remarkable camouflage. The males, with their striking black-and-white plumage, stood out in dry grasslands, while the brown-feathered females blended seamlessly into the landscape. When threatened, Bengal floricans exhibit an extraordinary survival tactic, lowering their bodies and extending their necks to disappear into their surroundings—an impressive sight to witness.
Bengal florican male foraging in grassland in Koshi. Photo: Aditya Pal.
Beyond our field surveys, we implemented a series of education campaigns to help bridge a concerning gap in local awareness about the species. In the western part of the Reserve, where Bengal floricans thrive, many locals were unfamiliar with the bird. We tailored our outreach programmes to engage key stakeholders, including buffer zone communities and school students. We distributed conservation materials and identified enthusiastic students to become bio-monitors, empowering them to lead birdwatching initiatives within their communities.
We carried out workshops with local communities, to raise awareness of the Bengal florican. Photo: Aditya Pal.
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal’s first Ramsar site, was originally established to protect the last remaining population of wild water buffalo. However, it also serves as a crucial refuge for wetland and grassland birds, including the Bengal florican. Unfortunately, the Reserve faces mounting challenges: intensive livestock grazing, habitat degradation and human reliance on grassland resources such as thatching materials.
Fishing is another key livelihood in the region, with the Koshi River prized for its fish. Conservation efforts must carefully balance the needs of both biodiversity and the communities that depend on these ecosystems, with sustainable conservation strategies that must integrate local participation and economic alternatives to ensure long-term habitat protection.
Community workshop to raise awareness of the Bengal florican. Photo: Aditya Pal.
My journey has been one of discovery, perseverance and connection. Traveling across remote corners of Koshi in search of the Bengal florican has been both thrilling and enlightening. Conversations with local fishers, farmers and elephant riders provided deeper insights into their livelihoods and the challenges they face. It has highlighted the importance of inclusive conservation efforts, involving those who share their land with these rare birds.
Through continued research, habitat restoration and community-driven conservation, we can secure the future of the Bengal florican. This species, a symbol of Nepal’s vanishing grasslands, deserves our collective effort. In response to these conservation challenges, we launched the Bengal Florican Project (BFP) a collaborative initiative across Nepal, India and Cambodia. The project consolidates research, awareness campaigns and conservation strategies to safeguard this Critically Endangered species. By fostering international partnerships, we aim to ensure the Bengal florican’s survival for future generations.
Crossing Kosi river during survey on a wooden boat. Photo: Aditya Pal.
The Conservation News piece ‘Conserving the Bengal florican in Nepal: a collaborative education and awareness campaign’ is available open access in Oryx—The International Journal of Conservation.
